In the College Football Playoff game against Arizona State, a potential fourth-quarter Texas win came down to the line.
Or, more accurately, the fourth-and-long field goal.
After missing two critical fourth-quarter field goals, one from 38 yards and the second from 48, Texas was forced into overtime against the Sun Devils. Then-senior kicker Bert Auburn had probably the worst game of his career that New Year’s Day after a solid three seasons with Texas.
Luckily, the Longhorns came out victorious. But after being benched for the consecutive Ohio State playoff game, Auburn hit the transfer portal and landed at Miami.
Texas now has a special teams lineup that’s nearly unrecognizable from the year before with the addition of several transfers — notably, senior kicker Mason Shipley.
But, just like with any other competitive football team, mistakes during high-pressure moments still haunt the special teams room.
“Being a high-level kicker at, not only at this institution, but in high-level college football playoffs and then in the NFL, you’ve got to make pressure kicks,” special teams coordinator Jeff Banks said before the start of this year’s training camp. “And unfortunately, where Bert struggled the most was making those kicks.”
By the day before summer camp started, Banks’ focus had been narrowed down to three areas: net punting, field goal percentage and penalties.
“I think those are the three things, after diving back into it and looking and being removed from the game and the emotion of some of those situations,” Banks said.
Shipley is a huge addition to improve those areas. Transferring from Texas State after going 31 for 35 on field goal attempts, Shipley ended up with 111 point attempts in three seasons with the Bobcats. During a game last season against Sam Houston, he hit a 60-yard field goal, setting a program and Sun Belt Conference record.
“Mason’s got a great disposition, he’s just a mature kid, really a man that has a very good demeanor about him,” Banks said. “And we’ll learn more about him as we go through training camp. We’ve had a good summer with him.”
In addition to Shipley, senior kicker Will Stone can now call himself a veteran player with three years in burnt orange under his belt. Stone replaced Auburn in the Ohio State playoff game despite primarily punting for the Longhorns, and went two for two on extra point attempts.
As a punter, Stone was the key to Texas leading the SEC in kickoff return defense, allowing an average of just over 16 yards per return and punting off a career high of 56 touchbacks last season.
“I think Will’s a lot better than he was a year ago, just from going through all of this and going through the end of the season the way he did,” Banks said. “He stepped up in that Ohio State game and did a nice job making his PATs and kicking off very well for us.”
Having a truly talented special teams room can be overlooked sometimes, in the shadow of the glory of a powerful offense or soul-crushing defense. But there always comes a moment, usually a high-pressure one, during which the kicker can decide the fate of his team with just three points on the line.
With a tough schedule ahead, Texas football will have no shortage of those moments. But with a stacked room and plenty of practice over the two-and-a-half week camp, the Longhorns will hopefully be prepared.
